1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for the transport of pets, such as dogs, and cargo in vehicles. More particularly, it relates to a fabric covering which protects the vehicle interior and is made rigid at the base and front by the insertion of a cardboard or other similar rigid material. The platform and front panel formed by the fabric pouch an the rigid material is cushioned with foam and provides a wide, soft surface and forward restraint for pets and cargo while traveling in the back of the vehicle.
2. Description of Prior Art
Devices used to transport pets in vehicles have generally been of the container type for small dogs which strap or hook on the seats of the automobile providing a comfortable ride and an exterior view for the animal. For example, Russo, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 245,716, provides a container type device with a foam insert and hooks which provide various mounting methods. Rux, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,286 is another example of a similar device for carrying small dogs.
The other area of prior art is automobile rear seat extension devices used as beds and platforms for the transport of small children and cargo. Most of these predate the present safety requirements for the restraint of children in auto seats and safety belts.
The patent to Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 1,233,661 sets forth the earliest device for carrying cargo in the rear seat area of an automobile with the device utilizing unspecified rigid material and a lower rigid support device from the floor.
The patent to De Blieux, U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,072 sets forth an inflatable device to be used as a bed for children which covers the entire horizontal back seat of a vehicle and receives support from an inflatable bottom portion at the floor compartment.
The patent to Kirsten, U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,593 sets forth a travel unit for children with limited seat coverage and is more correctly defined as a compartmental device for restraining movement.
The patent to Schiffmann, Canadian Pat. No. 692151 sets forth a child travel bed and cargo transport device utilizing rigid adjustable hooks which hold the device horizontal over the floor compartment. This device discloses the most pertinent art to the present invention with its utilization of a rigid platform, rigid adjustable straps attached to the front seat, and the use of a partial resilient pad covering.
The patent to Auerbach, U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,306 is another inflatable device which is generally and partially held in place by the securement of seat belts over portions of the horizontal inflatable pad.
The patent to Mongault, U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,413 sets forth a cot type device utilizing cloth stretched between a tubular metal frame with support over the floor compartment achieved by the use of a rigid floor support or an alternate rigid hook attached to an indeterminate portion of the sides of the front seat.
Other pertinent published art includes a product exhibited in Mechanix Illustrated. "Auto Plan Pen" published in February, 1955, page 181 which comprises a plywood board resting on the back seat of an automobile and extending over the lower floor compartment supported by an adjustable metal pipe. Another design published in Popular Mechanics in January 1949, page 174 illustrates a canvas sling which has a wood dowel at each end and attaches by tucking into the space between the lower back seat cushions and to the hand straps of the center post of each door on earlier model cars.
More recent art is a travel bed produced by Meblo Inc. which is published in pet trade magazines and illustrated in "Pet Product News", March/April, 1989, page 49. This bed is more appropriately labeled a sling which covers the back seat and the back of the front seat of an automobile. The design has numerous limitations which the present invention has corrected and improved upon. The Meblo travel bed does not provide a rigid platform and restraining attachments thereby preventing the pet's forward motion into the lower floor compartment during sudden vehicle stops. Also, the rear fabric attachment relies solely on the end straps secured to seat belt restraining devices, and is not restrained along its entire top edge.
None of these seat cushions, carrier devices provide for a rigid panel coverage of the rear seat and back of the front seats with a removable fabric covering which provides a primary role in the structural seat extension support and securement of the device. In addition, the present invention is designed for flexible securement of the device utilizing fabric straps which are a part of and extend from the seat cover as a whole. This fabric covering, fabric straps, and securement is a unique design with specific flexibility advantages over all previous art.
The present invention for the rear seat extension and coverage is designed for use primarily by pets or cargo, and specifically by dogs, which no earlier patented art has claimed.
As such, the front rigid vertical panel prevents the pet or cargo from falling forward into the front of the vehicle in autos with bucket seats. Furthermore, this panel prevents forward movement into the floor compartment of the rear seat since all vehicles are different in size with the distance from the verticals of the rear seat and the back of the front seat varying greatly. No other prior art combines a folded rigid panel for flexibility with the added benefits of full coverage of the entire back seat.